Udacity Introduction to Python Review: Is it worth it?

Last updated: 24 October 2026. Rewritten and fact-checked by Josh Hutcheson, OnlineCourseing editor; originally written by Akshay Vikhe in 2022. Every course detail and price below was re-read on Udacity’s course pages that day. See our review methodology. If you enroll through our links we may earn a commission, which never changes our verdict.

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Overview

“Udacity Introduction to Python” now means three different products. Here is how they compare, with Udacity’s own figures from 24 October 2026:

Python itself is the reason these courses are popular. It is the language most beginners now learn first, and it is used for automation, data analysis, web back ends and machine learning. Which of these three is right for you depends on one question: do you need someone to review your code, and a credential at the end, or do you only need the lessons?

In short: complete beginners should start with the free course and decide after a week whether they enjoy it. People heading for data analysis get the most from the data science course, because its project uses the same Pandas workflow analysts use at work. People who want a certification on their resume, or who learn best with deadlines and feedback, should look at the Nanodegree.

About the Udacity Introduction to Python Course

The free course, Introduction to Python Programming, is the one most people mean, and the one our links open. It is taught by Juno Lee, a curriculum lead at Udacity, and sits in Udacity’s School of Programming and Development. There are no prerequisites beyond reading English.

The format is short videos followed by in-browser quizzes and coding exercises after almost every concept. That rhythm is its strength: you write code within minutes of starting, and each lesson builds on the last. Its weakness is the end point. When you finish, there is no project, no reviewer and no certificate. Udacity’s help center describes its free courses as a textbook anyone can read, with no confirmation that you read it.

Open the free course on Udacity →

Job Scenario

Be realistic about what an introductory course does for a career. Fourteen hours of Python fundamentals will not get you hired on their own, from Udacity or anyone else. They are the first step toward roles that use Python heavily, such as data analyst, back-end developer, test automation engineer or machine learning engineer, and each of those needs months of further study and a portfolio.

Two of Udacity’s paid options move you further along that path. The data science course ends in a real data project you can show. The Nanodegree prepares you for the Python Institute’s PCEP and PCAP exams, which give employers a standard benchmark for entry-level Python skill. If you are deciding between Python and another first language, our coding for beginners guide compares the options.

Cost and Duration of the Udacity Introduction to Python Course

• Introduction to Python Programming (free): $0. Udacity’s lesson estimates add up to about 14 hours: 3 each for data types, data structures and control flow, 2 each for functions and scripting, and 1 for the optional advanced topics.
• Introduction to Python for Data Science: 21 hours, included in Udacity’s subscription: $125 a month (50% off the $249 list price during the current sale, with code HALLOWEEN50). It is not sold as a separate one-time purchase.
• Introduction to Python Nanodegree: 44 hours, on the same subscription ($125 a month, or $423 for 4 months as a 4-month bundle), or $499.50 as a one-time purchase.

A subscription now opens Udacity’s whole catalog, so if you plan to take both paid options, do them in the same month or two. At ten hours a week, the data science course takes about two weeks and the Nanodegree about a month. Udacity refunds a first purchase only within seven days (14 in the EU). The Python Institute’s exam fees are separate from Udacity’s price: PCEP starts at $69 and PCAP at $295 on the Institute’s site.

Prerequisites of the Udacity Introduction to Python Course

• Free course: none. It starts from zero.
• Data science course: basic arithmetic, plus logarithms and exponents for the statistics lessons.
• Nanodegree: basic GitHub, because the third course uses GitHub Copilot in VS Code. The Python itself starts from the beginning.

Syllabus of Udacity Introduction to Python Course

Free course: Introduction to Python Programming

• Why Python Programming: an overview of the course.
• Data Types and Operators: built-in types, operators, type conversion, whitespace and style.
• Data Structures: lists, tuples, sets and dictionaries, with more built-in functions.
• Control Flow: conditionals, loops and list comprehensions.
• Functions: scope, documentation, lambda expressions, iterators and generators.
• Scripting: setting up a local environment, running scripts and handling input.
• Advanced Topics (optional): more on iterators and generators.

Paid course: Introduction to Python for Data Science

The same Python fundamentals, then four lessons on data: installing packages with pip, loading and exploring data in Pandas and Polars, filtering, grouping and pivot tables, and charts that show distributions, trends and outliers. The project, “Are We Alone in Space?”, has you load, visualize and analyze NASA’s exoplanet data.

See Intro to Python for Data Science →

Nanodegree: Introduction to Python (with certification prep)

The Copilot course is the unusual part. Few beginner programs teach you to work with an AI coding assistant, and doing it after you can write Python unaided is the right order.

See the Intro to Python Nanodegree →

Pros and Cons

Pros of Udacity Introduction to Python Course

• The free course is genuinely free, with no trial or card required, and rated 4.5 from 737 learners.
• Short lessons with an exercise after nearly every concept keep you writing code.
• Clear upgrade paths: one data project, or a certification-prep Nanodegree with three reviewed projects.
• The Nanodegree adds GitHub Copilot practice, which most beginner courses skip.

Cons of Udacity Introduction to Python Course

• The free course has no certificate, no project and no reviewer.
• At about 14 hours it is much shorter than free alternatives like Harvard’s CS50P, which runs ten weeks and ends in a final project.
• The paid options cost a monthly subscription, and the Nanodegree is too new to have learner reviews.
• Certification exam fees are not included in Udacity’s price.

Advance features of Udacity

What separates Udacity’s paid programs from its free courses, and from most cheaper platforms, is the project review. A person reads your submitted project and returns written feedback, and you resubmit until it passes. The subscription also includes access to the full catalog, career coaching and interview preparation, and a certificate for each program you complete.

Two caveats from current learners. Review times vary: Trustpilot reviewers mostly praise the projects, but the most common complaint is a review left pending for weeks. And on subscriptions bought since September 2023, classroom access ends when the subscription does, even after you graduate; you keep access to the projects you submitted. Udacity holds 4.5 out of 5 on Trustpilot from 3,414 reviews.

About Instructors

The free course is taught by Juno Lee, listed on the page as a curriculum lead at Udacity. Learners on the course page mostly describe it as a clear first course; one three-star review sums it up as “Python101!”, which is fair: it covers the basics well and stops there.

The paid options have their own teams. The data science course is taught by Metin Akyol, PhD, a quantitative analyst at Fidelity, with Juno Lee. The Nanodegree lists three instructors: Brian Hough, an AWS DevTools Hero and founder of Tech Stack Playbook; Mark Gardner, a freelance developer and engineering instructor; and Daniel Mease, a senior technical content developer at Udacity. Instructors record the lessons; the people who review your projects are a separate pool of Udacity reviewers.

Is this Udacity Introduction to Python Course worth it?

The free course is worth it for almost any beginner: it costs nothing, and it is a well-paced way to find out whether you enjoy programming. Pair it with a free course that includes graded work if you want proof of your skills. Harvard’s CS50P is free, takes ten weeks, and gives a free CS50 certificate if you score at least 70% on every problem set and the final project.

The paid options are worth it in two cases. Take the data science course if your goal is data analysis and you want one real project and the Pandas basics in two weeks. Take the Nanodegree if you want a recognized Python certification and reviewed projects, and you will finish inside one or two months. If you only want to learn Python as cheaply as possible, the free routes and a Udemy Python course cost far less.

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FAQ’s

Is Udacity Introduction to Python free?

Yes. Introduction to Python Programming is a free Udacity course of about 14 hours. Udacity also sells two paid courses with similar names: Introduction to Python for Data Science (21 hours) and the Introduction to Python Nanodegree (44 hours).

Do you get a certificate for the free Udacity Python course?

No. Udacity does not issue certificates for free courses. The paid data science course and the Nanodegree include certificates with the subscription.

How long does Udacity Introduction to Python take?

The free course is about 14 hours of lessons, the data science course 21 hours, and the Nanodegree 44 hours, by Udacity’s own estimates.

Does the Udacity Python Nanodegree prepare you for PCEP and PCAP?

Yes. Its first two courses are built around the Python Institute’s PCEP and PCAP exams. The exam fees are separate: PCEP starts at $69 and PCAP at $295.

What does the Udacity Python Nanodegree cost?

It costs $125 a month on the monthly subscription or $499.50 as a one-time purchase. At ten hours a week most learners finish in about a month.

Can I get a job after the course?

Not from an introductory course alone. It is the first step toward Python-heavy roles such as data analyst or back-end developer, which need further study and a portfolio of projects.

What is the difference between Introduction to Python and AI Programming with Python?

Introduction to Python teaches the language itself. AI Programming with Python is a 52-hour beginner Nanodegree that adds NumPy, Pandas and Matplotlib, then neural networks in PyTorch and transformers, with two reviewed projects. Take Introduction to Python first if you have never coded; go straight to AI Programming with Python if you already know basic Python and want AI.

Udacity’s Other Python Paths

• AI Programming with Python: a 52-hour beginner Nanodegree (4.7 from 664 reviews) that takes you from Python to PyTorch and transformers. See our full review.
• Intermediate Python: the next step after the basics, with object-oriented programming, decorators and APIs. See our review.
• Programming for Data Science with Python: Python with SQL and Git for aspiring analysts.
• Intro to Programming: a broader beginner Nanodegree.
• Data Structures and Algorithms: the next step for interview preparation.

Moving on to AI after Python? Compare Applied Generative AI Engineering and the Agentic AI Nanodegree, or read our overall Udacity review.

Browse Udacity’s catalog →

See every option in our directory of Udacity Nanodegrees, the free catalog in our best free Udacity courses, and what a subscription costs in Udacity Nanodegree cost.